ANDERSON TOWNSHIP — Every Friday, volunteers from three churches in the largely white suburbs of Anderson and Union townships make a pizza pilgrimage to St. Peter Claver Boys' Latin School in Over-the-Rhine.

        Thirty volunteers alternate taking pizzas to the 14 K-3 students, having lunch, attending Mass with them, and assisting with physical education and tutoring.

        Our Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, Mt. Moriah United Methodist Church and Summerside United Methodist Church make up The Pizza Friday Ministry.

        It's ecumenical: Lutherans and Methodists helping Catholic school students, most of whom are not Catholic; white adults helping minority youths; the haves connecting with the have-nots.

        “These people are good, committed Christians,” said the Rev. Al Lauer, pastor of Old St. Mary's Church in Over-the-Rhine and founder of the school. “They bring Christ to people, not just pizza.”

        What's more, at church services this past weekend, the Rev. Henry Zorn, pastor of Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Anderson Township, presented St. Peter Claver administrators with a $2,900 check from church members who donated their tax refund money.

        “I'm still very troubled by what goes on in the city,” the Rev. Mr. Zorn said. “The underlying cause of the unrest has not gone away. There's so much bureaucracy going on to try to address this. Here Father Lauer has come up with a hands-on approach. This is immediate and happening now. He's making an impact.”

        The Rev. Mr. Zorn started the pizza ministry.

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